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Prof. Mike Oquaye accuses gov’t of ‘secret trial’ of Chief Justice
Former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has criticised the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) over what he described as the mishandling of the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo.
He is unhappy with the constitutional provision requiring the hearing of the Chief Justice’s case to be held in-camera.
“I am concerned about certain issues that I consider vital, particularly the trial in-camera provision. You will ask yourself what the rationale is for that provision in our constitution, what is its purpose, and if we are to give it a purposeful interpretation, where shall we go? The purpose is it to benefit the people of Ghana as a whole, that the Chief Justice must be trial in-camera…”
He added, “From the very beginning, the constitution tells us justice belongs to the people, it emanates from the people, justice belongs to all of us people, one may say that this provision could be advarance to the one that says trial must be done in-camera.” he said in an exclusive interview with JoyNews.
Prof. Oquaye also raised concerns about the transparency and integrity of the process.
He argued that the judiciary must be insulated from political interference, adding that the current handling of the matter risks eroding confidence in the rule of law.
The Chief Justice was recently suspended following allegations of misconduct, after which a formal petition was submitted to President John Mahama, prompting the formation of a committee to investigate the matter.
The proceedings, however, have largely been conducted in-camera, drawing criticism from sections of the public and some legal minds.
While the NDC government maintains that the suspension was carried out in accordance with constitutional provisions, Prof. Quaye argues that the secrecy surrounding the process undermines the principles of accountability and due process.
Source:Myjoyonline.com
The Vice President of Ghana, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, has announced that Ghana is leading efforts at the United Nations to have the transatlantic slave trade formally recognised as one of the greatest crimes against humanity.
She made the remarks while serving as Guest of Honour at a citizenship ceremony organised by the Diaspora Affairs Office and the Ministry of the Interior, where about 150 members of the African diaspora were granted Ghanaian citizenship at the Accra International Conference Centre yesterday.
The Vice President emphasised that recognising the transatlantic slave trade would affirm global commitment to truth, remembrance and justice for people of African descent.
She also highlighted Ghana’s continued role as a place of reconnection for the diaspora, referencing historic sites such as Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle.
In his remarks, the Minister for Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, said that the ceremony represented the culmination of a legal and administrative process through which individuals with strong ties to Ghana have formally become citizens of the Republic.
He noted that through the Ministry of the Interior and its partner institutions, the Government of Ghana remains committed to ensuring that the process of acquiring citizenship is transparent, credible, and consistent with the laws of Ghana.
Addressing the ceremony, the Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President, Kofi Okyere-Darko said the occasion symbolises far more than the formal granting of nationality.
“What we mark today extends far beyond the granting of citizenship; it represents the restoration of a connection shaped by history carried across continents through generations and now meaningfully reaffirmed here in the land from which it first began,” he said.
Darko noted that while citizenship is often seen as a legal status, it also carries a deeper emotional and cultural significance.
He explained that many members of the African Diaspora have long felt a strong connection to the continent through ancestry and cultural heritage, making their decision to become Ghanaian citizens a full-circle moment.
“For many of you, the path that led here was guided by ancestry, by a cultural memory, by a persistence sense that somewhere on this continent that was where it all begun.
“Today that history comes full circle. Ghana is not welcoming strangers; Ghana is receiving family,” he said.
The ceremony was also attended by Minister for Tourism, Abla Dzifa Gomashie.
Ghanaian media personality, entrepreneur and Convener for Women In Sustainability Africa (WiSA), Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong has advised women to build their capacity to make money, but must not do everything for it.
According to her, this will cater for their needs and rather than making them dependent on others.
In doing so, she advised them not to chase money, adding that it will only make them do anything for it, which will bring regrets later.
She made these remarks when speaking at the African Women’s Health and Wealth Conference (AWoHW) held on March 5, 2026, at the Shippers House in Accra.
“Women must make money but not chase it, because doing so will make them do anything and everything for money,” she said.
Also, she charged them to look at what they spend on, advising them to focus on acquiring assets rather than liabilities.
In all of these, she urged them to prioritise their health, because it is what will enable them to keep working.
Nana Yaa Serwaa also encouraged them to build more social capital, which will help them create a network and good relationships, adding that opportunities come through human beings.
According to her, savings can only be sustained when one has discipline: “If you spend beyond what you make, it would be difficult to cater for tomorrow.”
She revealed that as part of efforts to empower women, measures have been put in place to train 16,000 women in sustainable farming and very soon, it would be rolled out.
WiSA is a Coordinating Pan-African Organisation that works with other CSOs, NGOs, Corporate Institutions, local and International Development Organizations and individuals to bring all women, men, young people and women groups together (especially those at the grassroots level) to foster the achievement of the SDGs across Africa.
WiSA stands for the development of new perspectives and catalytic ideas towards accelerating growth for the achievement of the SDGs including closing the Gender Inequality gap.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
